We have been to so many amazing beaches around the world, but so far Seychelles have stood out undoubtedly. It’s a ‘living paradise on earth’ and we completely agree. Right from all the coastlines to white powdery beaches, palm trees everything is just perfect and you can feel what we mean by this, once you land. We fell in love with Seychelles from the moment we stepped in, and would love to share with you our Seychelles Travel Itinerary. We hope our Seychelles Travel Blog helps you to plan your ultimate Seychelles Road Trip with an overview on Seychelles Trip Cost and Seychelles Hotels. You can find more on Seychelles Travel COVID protocols and Seychelles Travel restrictions here before you plan your travel. We would suggest Seychelles Travel Itinerary 10 days for getting the best of Seychelles.
Seychelles is an island nation located in Indian Ocean and about 1600km east of Kenya, Africa which received its Independence on 29th June1976.
The Seychelles constitution has 115 listed islands, among all Mahe is the largest and is most populated island. This is a home to extinct species like Aldabra tortoise and the very rare Coco de Mer palm.
Seychelles Travel Itinerary : Seychelles Travel Blog : Things to know
1. Seychelles Currency:
You can either use Seychellois Rupee (SCR) OR EURO which is easily accepted everywhere. If possible, try to carry some hard cash as most of the local shops don’t accept plastic money apart from few big stores. You would even find many ATMs around all corners so don’t have to worry much if you run short of cash and the best nearby ATMs would be ABSA and MCB.
Tip: ABSA chargers greater transaction fee than MCB, hence we always used MCB during our trip.
2. Seychelles Trip Cost
Well let’s get it straight, Seychelles is not at all a country for Budget travel in any aspect – be it stays, activities or food. If you are planning of Seychelles you can definitely book your stays via Airbnb, which actually saved us a lot of money. Here is our rough ballpark per day to give you an overall budget estimate per day(Have converted all figures roughly to Dollar however both Euro and SCRs are widely accepted to quote the prices)
- Stay: At least 100$ per day(Stay for 2 through AirBnb)
- Meals: 3$-5$ per meal per person(Local Takeaways which are delicious 🙂 )
- Transport: 35-50$ per day(Please negotiate)
- Island Transfers: 60-65$ per head one way charges(Mahe to La Digue through Praslin through Cat Cocos Fast Ferry)
3. Food in Seychelles : Seychelles Travel Itinerary
You will find restaurants in all corners of this Island. But the best which worked for us were the take away food joints. If you are not always fussy about food then this kind of take away food can really be easy on pockets. You can see the take away boards in every 10mins, which would serve you very good quality food at a minimal rate. Also there are fine dining restaurants which you can check for sure. The take away food chains are very popular in Seychelles if you are on a budget which would cost around (50-80 Scr) per meal per person.
4. Language in Seychelles : Seychelles Travel Itinerary
Seselwa is the local language here but, in this entire nation mostly all people speaks and understands English, so it won’t be very difficult to communicate. The people are very friendly and would definitely help you with anything you would ask for.
5. Best time to visit Seychelles : Seychelles Travel Itinerary
The tropical climates always remain the same everywhere we think, still if you wish to avoid the scorching heat, we would suggest it would be really nice if you can plan your vacations to Seychelles during winters which is from May – October which is the dry season. Here summer starts from November and lasts till April which is the wet and hot season. However, the nights are pretty breezy and chilly. Apr-May is a great time to visit because the weather is cooler in comparison and the sea is relatively calm. Oct-Nov is also a great time as the sea is clam but relatively hotter as summer season starts.
6. Seychelles Travel Itinerary : Luggage:
Try to keep your luggage as minimal as possible. Of course you would be needing the beach wears and few fancy clothes, but be very mindful while packing because if you wish to make your transfers via domestic flights through Air Seychelles( between Mahe to Praslin), they have their own luggage allowances (check in 23kgs and hand luggage 5kg also to be checked in). If you are transferring via ferries, all Economy Class passengers are allowed up to 30kg of accompanied checked baggage per person. However we didn’t find anyone to check the baggage weight before boarding for ferries.
NOTE: Please don’t forget to pack bottle of coconut oil for your body and use whenever at beach, because the sand flies are real deal there. We had a terrible experience with their stings.
7. Is Seychelles Safe:
Seychelles as a country is very safe to travel around be you are a solo traveler or with family. Still you must take good care of yourself and people around with you as safety should always be the first priority. We felt absolutely safe across all the islands.
8. Seychelles Road Trip with Car rentals:
Seychelles is ideal for Road Trip and Island-hopping. There are many car rental service which you can book online before reaching Seychelles (Mahe & Praslin) for smooth transfer. We had made our bookings through MC Seychelles(Michel Chetty – Call/WhatsApp: +248 2535389 / 2535336 / 2524039) who gave us very good rental deals and was very helpful for booking other island excursions. You just need to have your country driving license to be able to rent a car. For La Digue the best way to explore is by renting bicycles 🙂
Interesting Fact: You can collect and deposit your car from anywhere you wish in the island (Mahe & Praslin).
Tip: Ask for an automatic car if you are comfortable driving one. It is way more easier to drive on the steep slopes of Praslin and Mahe than with a manual one.
Note: Petrol stations: There is only 2 petrol stations available in entire Praslin, so if you are self-driving keep an eye on your fuel tank as well whenever needed.
9. Seychelles Mobile Networks:
On arrival at the airport you will find various mobile network providers(Airtel/Cable & Wireless). We opted for Cable & Wireless SIM and it had pretty good coverage(Cost – 299 SCR for 30 mins Local + 1 GB data)
10. Seychelles Visa for Indians:
For Indian passport holders visa on arrival is free, also check with visa authorities before you arrive in Seychelles if you are other passport holder.
11. Seychelles Flights:
Usually Emirates, Ethiopian Airlines and Air Seychelles have very good connectivity from all prime locations.
12. Seychelles Island Transfers (Seychelles Ferry/Speed Boat):
Fast Ferries are the mode of island transfers mostly, however you can also opt for luxurious yacht/private speed boats if you wish to. There are direct ferry connections between Mahe – Praslin – La Digue (The Cat Cocos and CAT ROSE).
13. Seychelles Travel COVID Guidelines (Seychelles Travel Restrictions)
Seychelles has opened up its tourism with struct protocol in place for COVID. You can check here for detailed guideline to help you plan your travel to Seychelles.
Seychelles Travel Itinerary Ideas:
We spent absolutely 10 gorgeous days in Seychelles and loved every bit of it!!
If you are short on time, please keep a minimum of 7days to explore the major attractions!!
Our Seychelles Travel Itinerary 10 days
- 3 days in Praslin including day trip to Curieuse and St Pierre islands
- 4 days in La Digue including day trip to Coco, Sister and Felicite islands
- 3 days in Mahe
Recommended Seychelles Travel Itinerary 7 days – Honeymoon
- 3 days in Praslin with day trip to La Digue
- 2 Days in Mahe
- 2 Days in Silhouette island
Recommended Seychelles Itinerary 2 weeks – Leisure
- 4 days in Praslin including day trip to Curieuse and St Pierre islands
- 5 days in La Digue including day trip to Coco, Sister and Felicite islands
- 3 days in Mahe
- 2 Days in Silhouette island
Seychelles Travel Itinerary : How we spent our 10 days in Seychelles
Day 1 -3 : Visit the beautiful beaches in Praslin Island , Seychelles
How to reach Praslin from Mahe
You need to pre-book your flights or ferry whichever is convenient. There are direct ferry connections between Mahe to Praslin (The Cat Cocos). You can check their updated schedule on their Facebook page
However, the Praslin Domestic Airport operates flights daily from 5am to 10.30pm. These are small charter flights which can accommodate 15-20 people at a time and which reaches by 15mins. You can definitely check any of these modes depending on your flight schedule. Also ferry transfers might be cheaper in comparison to flights.
We boarded our flight from Nairobi, Kenya and reached this beautiful island in couple of hours of flying. We landed in Mahe International Airport, Seychelles and directly made our transfer to Praslin Island through Air Seychelles flight.
The charter flight from Mahe to Praslin was an unique experience. Both Mahe and Praslin airport runways look magnificent from top with water surrounding them and the view from the flight is absolutely mesmerizing. We were sitting right behind the pilots and could see them maneuvering throughout which was fascinating. We would recommend you book one of your transfer through flight and the other one with fast ferry between Mahe & Praslin to get both experiences.
Praslin is one of the most beautiful island we have ever seen from horizon and from sky. Praslin has everything one needs for a perfect vacation from lush green jungles to turquoise water.
Here is our complete guide to get around Praslin Island in Seychelles
Praslin as an Island is only 39kms and is very convenient to travel around too. The public transportation like buses are easily accessible to tourists which runs from5am -9pm daily, but for the current Covid 19 scenario the government has stopped this facility for tourists. Also one of the best ways to get around this Island is to rent a car (costs between 30-45Euro per day). We decided to rent a car and explore this beautiful Island and all its beaches and stopping by wherever we wanted.
Check out our Top 10 Photos To Inspire You to Visit Praslin here.
Day 1: Transfer to Praslin and enjoy the evening at a beach property
After a long flight we reached Praslin by afternoon and kept the evening to rest and recover. We preferred staying at Cote-d’or beach at an ocean facing room villa. We stayed at COTE-D’OR LODGE – CLUB VACANZE, which is budget property. This property also has giant tortoises!! You can use the this Airbnb link to book your stay in Seychelles and we would get a small credit at no additional cost to you 🙂
You would at least need 3 days at minimum to explore best of Praslin and would highly recommend to keep the first day at leisure relaxing at a good ocean villa. We started our beach hoping from the next sunrise.
Day 2: Explore the North & Eastern beaches of Praslin
Finish your breakfast early and leave for some amazing beaches around, so that you can make the most of your time exploring the beaches possible.
So first directly drive to-
ANSE LAZIO PRASLIN–
Anse Lazio beach is a must see without a miss in Praslin. Its picture perfect and a tropical paradise in all aspect. It’s rated as the top 10 beaches in the world and when you see it you would know why? Covered with palm trees and truly different rock formations on the beach this is the most impressive beach. We went by 10am and found there was a big group of travelers coming in, but later in an hour the beach was all left for us. It’s generally not a very crowded beach and so you can easily have your time in isolation with peace and comfort. The beach was carpeted with white sands which shines like gold with the sun ray. It was beautifulllllllllll!!
Grab a coconut from a local vendor and you can spend good couple of hours soaking in the sun and reading a good book hearing the ocean waves, sounds perfect right? Make sure you bring our own snorkeling gears to dig deep and explore some of the beautiful marine life as this beach is perfect for swimming and snorkeling.
Tip: There is a hiking trail to reach Anse Georgette from Anse Lazio, however based on multiple reviews and advice from locals we decided to avoid it. We heard the hike is tedious and there is a high chance of getting lost without reaching Anse Georgette. If you want to go to Anse Georgette then keep following this thread and check our Day 3 itinerary.
ANSE BOUDIN PRASLIN –
This beach is almost 10min away from Anse Lazio, and you are likely to cross this beach on your way , so you can definitely give this beach a pass. It’s a very rocky beach and also too shallow which is not safe for swimming. Still you can spend some good time there as this beach is more towards isolation.
COTE-D’OR PRASLIN–
We stayed at this beach location and definitely had the opportunity to explore this beach to the fullest. Life at this beach is different from others. Its more touristy and happening. It has some amazing resorts, good food joints and clubs attached and some of the best beach cafes. There is café here called ‘Café De Arts’ which was one of our favorite. Grab some food and drinks while soaking in the views of Cote D’Or. You can definitely check it out.
This beach is crystal clear with turquoise water, soft and powdery sand. Even the waves are very calm without much of high tides and perfect for swimming/snorkeling. This is one of the longest beach which is perfect for evening stroll lined up with numerous palm trees.
Once you are done exploring these beautiful beaches keep the next day for West and South beaches of Praslin.
Day 3 : Visit Vallée De Mai or Ford Ferdinand to witness the famous Coco Der Mer and later explore South and West beaches of Praslin
We started our day by 9am and reached Fond Ferdinand which is a nature preserve in Seychelles and also where you can witness the giant Coco De Mer. We choose to go to Fond Ferdinand (100 SCR) over Vallée De Mai because it was much cheaper in comparison to price(350SCR). We also had heard great reviews of Fond Ferdinand, where apart from the nature trail and Coco De Mer, you can also get to an amazing vantage point overlooking other islands. If you wish to go for a guided tour it would cost you 1000 SCR extra, however it’s absolutely up to you. You can explore everything at your own. If you have not pre booked and wish to pay right at the counter, please carry credit/ debit cards which is only accepted there.
Unfortunately, when we reached Fond Ferdinand on a Saturday morning, it was closed because it was a weekend and for COVID protocols, our hard luck, so we again had to drive back to Vallée De Mai which really costed a lot more. But anyway we had to see that be it anywhere. So make sure you check on the dates before paying your visit.
Vallée De Mai PRASLIN
Valle De Mai Nature Reserve is a nature park and UNESCO World Heritage Site on the island of Praslin, Seychelles. It has a climbing hike of 30 – 40 min(one way). You can only find this endemic Coco de Mer palm, which has the largest double nut seeds, here in Seychelles and not anywhere else in the world. This coco might weigh up to 10- 15 kilograms and interestingly it also takes 8-10 long years to be edible (depending on sizes). Once you reach the end of hike you would reach a view point, which you might like or may not. We did not find it too worthy for that amount. We finished the whole hike in 1.5hrs and it was pretty ok.
After that we drove to some of the best beach we ever could imagine towards South and West of Praslin.
ANSE CONSOLATION PRASLIN :
Once done with the nature trail, we drove to extreme south of Praslin to reach the beach of Anse Consolation. This area is mostly residential and you would find people strolling out everywhere and not like other beaches in isolation. There are no such walkable sand beaches here, but only huge rock formations where you can sit and chill.
ANSE GEORGETTE PRASLIN :
If we had to choose our best beach in Praslin, then Anse Georgette would be at the top of our list. If you are already in love with Anse Lazio this beach will even blow your mind, but there is a trick to reach this beautiful beach. This beach is privately owned by Lemuria Constance Boutique Hotel. This is not the most visited beach but we would definitely recommend to leave your footprints there. We loved this beach, it’s absolutely stunning and extremely picturesque. This is perfect for swimming/snorkeling and one of the few beaches in Praslin without any seaweeds and perfect white sand!! For that you need to book for entry 2-3 days prior of your visit to avoid any confusion at the entrance. You can directly book by this phone number +2484281281. Once you reach you need to confirm your booking name and details at the gate and from where you need to walk for next 20-30 min towards the shore. It might really be humid and dehydrating so make sure you carry enough water and other energy food and fluids. Lemuria hotel has some nice restaurants and you might want to explore if you are not too concerned with budget. In case you just want to chill out at the beach then carrying some packed food would be a good idea as the restaurants is quite a bit of walk from the beach. Don’t expect any golf carts for lift as they are not meant for visitors. Also make sure keep an eye on the signs so that you don’t get lost like us (it was so annoying in that heat) as its occupies huge acres. Once you reach the beach we guarantee this would be the best beach you have ever seen.
Tip: If you want to visit Petite Anse Kerlan beach then have lunch/snack at Takamaka Beach Bar owned by Lemuria Hotel. Unfortunately for us because of COVID scenario, all the restaurants were only accessible to hotel guests.
ANSE KERLAN PRASLIN :
You can definitely check out this beach on your way back from Anse Georgette beach. Actually these are sister beaches and not so touristy. You will find numerous beaches in this stretch and can stop wherever you feel like.
CASTELLO BEACH PRASLIN :
Again we drove for next 10-15 mins and reached Castello beach. Though this beach is very rocky and is not suitable for swimming or snorkeling. Spend good 10-15min here and can head of to the next chain of beaches.
By the time if you feel hungry you can even go to any of the food joints nearby or can also pack some take away which is a good and budget friendly option here. You might not fine any shacks or food corners in any of the beaches inside. So make sure you even pack some eatables and water if you wish to.
GRAND ANSE PRASLIN :
We drove for another 10mins and reached Grand Anse beach. Also if you wish to spend your time being lazy than you can definitely choose any of your favorite beach and spend your quality time there. For us it was like we wanted to explore as many beaches as possible within our limited time. But of course we have spent good time on our favorite beaches too. There is nothing much to do in Grand Anse beach and also this beach is not suitable for swimming and snorkeling. We personally didn’t like this beach much. However, be there in the evening to watch the gorgeous sunset before heading out to hotel/restaurant for dinner.
Day 4 – 7: Exploring La Digue on a bicycle
La Digue has a very different vibe than all other islands with only place where you will find funky beach bars/juice corners on the beach and can explore the island on bicycles!! Sounds perfect right?
We would strongly recommend for staying in La Digue and avoid doing just a day trip there from Praslin. We promise you won’t regret.
Day 4: Half Day trip to Curieuse and St Pierre islands and transfer to La Digue. Enjoy the evening exploring North Eastern beaches and catch the sunset from Anse Severe on the North Western side
We had to leave this beautiful island of Praslin on the 4th morning and make our way towards La Digue.
How to reach La Digue from Praslin?
La Digue is short distance(15-20mins) away from Praslin and you can book through CAT COCOS or CAT ROSE which leaves from the harbor.
We had some different plans and so we had booked our transfers accordingly. By 9am our boat arrived right at our hotel beach for pick up along with our luggage(perks of staying right on the beach!!). We directly did not head for La Digue, rather we booked our half day trip to the neighboring islands of Curieuse and St Pierre and on the way back got transferred to La Digue. and checked- in around 1pm, even you can plan for the same. We had made our bookings through MC Seychelles(Michel Chetty – Call/WhatsApp: +248 2535389 / 2535336 / 2524039) who gave us very good deals and would definitely recommend(they are authorized company by Govt to be booked under the COVID norms).
SAINT CURIEUSE ISLAND :
Curieuse Island was our first stop for the day which is a small granitic island and is close to the north coast of Praslin. It only took 10-15 mins to reach. This island is famous for the extinct Aldabra tortoise. This island is a home and breeding ground of thousands of these gigantic tortoises which you can hardly find anywhere else in the world. Also you can take a small hike to the mangrove passing through the longest board walk in Seychelles.
SAINT PIERRE ISLAND :
Once we were done with Curieuse island our next stop was Saint Pierre Island which is considered one of the best areas for snorkeling. We carried our gears and found our-self floating into the ocean in no time. Honestly the overall experience was okay for us and nothing out of the world. We could only see few fishes swimming here and there and nothing much as heard or expected. Even the corals were mostly dead, so we came out of the water early.
REACHING LA DIGUE : Seychelles Travel Itinerary
La Digue can be reached in less than 20 mins from Praslin by a short ferry ride. It’s absolutely famous for its top listed pristine beaches. Once you reach La Digue you would see it’s a whole new world. Life is slow yet very peaceful. We just loved every bit and corner of it. Surprisingly you would hardly find any motor vehicles in that island (very few) as life moves on bicycles everywhere here. Even here we booked our stay via AirBnb at CHEZ MERA and to our luck Mera was an extremely great host to us. Our stay was just few kms (2-3) away from the harbor. You can use the this Airbnb link to book your stay in Seychelles and we would get a small credit at no additional cost to you 🙂
What to use for transportation in La Digue?
Best way to explore La Digue is on Bicycles but golf carts also available if you are there for a short visit. We rented our bicycles from Mera (100 SCR per cycle per day). You would find many bicycles on rent boards around the island.
Where to eat in La Digue?
The best way to is to explore various take away, there are plenty available every 5 mins specially on the Western side of the island towards the harbor. Couple of famous take away food counters are Mi Mum’s/ Gala Take Away which you can try. We also managed to pack some good quality food from ‘LE BON COIN’ at times (take away ranges from 50 SCR per person per meal). In this island almost everything closes by early evening 8pm except few restaurants. Talking about restaurants there are 2 good restaurants which you can check for fine dining are ‘Le Repaire -Itialian Restaurant ‘and famous ‘FISH TRAP’ restaurant.
ANSE SEVERE BEACH :
After checking in and having a light meal we paddled towards Anse Severe beach which is the north-west coast for the sunset. On the way we came across a beautiful graveyard we couldn’t hold our self from stopping by. Once you reach, there is a very famous fruit juice bar known as the ‘Bikini Bottom’(no alcohol served) grab your favorite drink(try their special mixed juice for 100 SCR) as we did and enjoy the gorgeous sunset.
In case you are early for the sunset like us or have more time during the day, then you can explore below beaches on the North Western side which is 10mins cycling from Anse Severe beach!! Make sure to come back for the sunset to Anse Severe and relax!!
ANSE GAULETTES BEACH :
This beach lies in the north west of La Digue. You can just pass by and spend some time if you wish. It’s a clean beach again with turquoise blue water and powder sand with rock formation. Not ideal for swimming.
ANSE BANANE BEACH :
On reaching Anse Banane there nothing much to see or to do on the beach. Rather we parked our bicycles at one of the very famous beach faced cafeteria ‘CHEZ JULES’ and enjoyed our evening coffee and gazed at the orange sky. You can also try the Takamaka rum which is very famous here is Seychelles.
ANSE FOURMIS BEACH :
Now we almost reached the very end of the road and also the Anse Fourmis beach. Again this beach lies towards extreme of north east. Not too crowded and for the first time we saw dead corals lying all over the beach. Even this beach is not suitable for swimming and snorkeling. We laid our mat sipped a glass of white wine (which we carried) and headed back to Anse Severe for the sunset.
Finish your last meal and head back to hotel room and whisper goodnight!!
DAY 5: A day just to yourself to relax at the world famous and most photographed beach of ANSE SOURCE D’ ARGENT
ANSE SOURCE D’ ARGENT :
We kept our 5th day at leisure and thought of relaxing at one of the top 10 beaches in the world. This is a public beach but access to the beach is only through L’Union Estate so you need to pay for entry (115 SCR per person). We went pretty early in the morning by 10am and found the beach all to our self. This beach looks insanely gorgeous right after the high tide from 2pm. Once you go you know!! Make sure to pack some eatables if you wish to spend the entire day there as there are hardly any food joints accept one or two fruit/juice shops.
What makes this beach even gorgeous are its unique rock formations on all sides of the beach. You really need to experience the view to know why it’s one of the most photographed beach across the world.
After the high tide we were extremely excited to go for glass bottom kayaking (Crystal Water Kayaks) and this was the highlight of our trip (full guided trip 35 Euros per person which includes 3 island trip for nearly 3 hours). We would highly recommend to avail the best of its experience without a miss. It’s something we never tried before and its was just amazing. The beaches even felt more beautiful from the middle of the ocean with fishes and corals clearly visible right under our kayaks. Seriously it was one of the most amazing time that we could have ever experienced anywhere in the world.
We ended our night soon that day and dozed off looking forward to explore some other amazing beaches the very next day.
DAY 6: Explore the picturesque and less explored beaches on the South Eastern Coast of La Digue
We finished our breakfast at comfort and later stopped at the first beach of the day which almost took us 30 mins of cycling. The roads towards the south east are of small climbs so we had to walk our bicycles for couple of time. There are three best beaches towards the south-eastern coast. First you would reach Grand Anse beach where you need to park your bicycle and need to climb some rocky mountain to reach other adjoining beaches.
GRAND ANSE :
Probably one of the best beaches simply by the long spread, turquoise water, no seaweeds and perfect white sand along with rock formations at the end. By the time we reached the whole of the beach was just for the two of us. This beach isn’t that crowded. You might see only couple of passers-by coming in and going. You would surely love this beach for its turquoise water and also for the peace. We had spent couple of hours just lying down and hearing the sea waves. It was absolutely magical.
Tip: Go towards the North end of the beach and you will find one small cave providing some shade. Grab it before you find others as there is hardly any shade otherwise!!
PETITE ANSE BEACH :
Reaching Petite Anse beach can be a task for few as you really need to climb rocky beach mountains for at least 15-20 mins depending on your speed. Honestly all the beaches in this coastline have its own beauty and are absolutely gorgeous. There are sign boards which will guide you with the directions so don’t have to stress much of getting lost. Make sure of keeping enough food and water during this hike as you would definitely be needing them. Also you would not find any food joints anywhere nearby those areas.
ANSE COCOS BEACH :
If you think you are at chill and the hike is over, the real game is just about to begin. From Petite Anse beach you again need to hike through those rocky mountains for next 20 mins to reach Anse Cocos. This kind of hikes might be little difficult with elderly people but not impossible. Make sure you keep good shoes for this day and can avoid high heels for couple of hours. Once we reached Cocos we were really exhausted and fortunately there was a juice bar available named as ‘Cocos juice bar’. They really offer some refreshing juice and sodas which you can definitely try. We decided to spend most of our time here at leisure. There are enough shades on this beach to relax.
By 4pm we left the Eastern coast and headed back to the Western side to catch the sunset.
Day 7: Enjoy full day trip to Coco, Sister and Felicite islands with BBQ lunch and amazing underwater experience
After we were done covering some of the best beaches in La Digue, we wanted to go for some nearby island tours and explore marine life. Again we availed the services from MC Seychelles for all the transfers. It was a day trip which included three island tours, barbecue meal and multiple snorkeling stopover. The first where we stopped was –
GRAND SEOUR or SISTER ISLAND :
This island is very nearby which only took us 15mins to reach by speed boat and which is located north of La Digue. This island is also called the big sister or east sister island. As this is a privately owned island so this requires prior bookings. It’s probably a group tour which is arranged by the travel services which at least includes 10 person or more. But fortunately when we went the whole of the island was all left to ourselves. Note- [ the time we were there the owner declared they won’t accept less than 10 guests from next booking].
As this is a privately owned island its extremely at peace and is covered with tropical forests. We loved and truly enjoyed our own private moment. For a moment it felt the entire island belonged to us and we were its owners. Tourists are not allowed to enter this island by the beaches and only by check points. Okay so there are two beaches which surrounds the island, one at the front which had rough surface but amazing corals and marine life, and other at the back which is the most beautiful one. We carried our Wine and chose a vantage point over the rocks and sipped our wine soaking in the splendid view. You can even go for swimming and snorkeling, discovering some underwater life there. We were able to see couple of baby sharks not very far from the shore!!
After a good 2-3 hours of nap our tour guide prepared some barbecue for lunch. It was overall a good experience. After we were done with Grand Soeur now we headed towards…
COCOS ISLAND :
Cocos Island almost seemed like a picture perfect postcard. Even this island is just 5 min away from Grand Soeur island. This island is very famous for its snorkeling, turquoise water and picturesque beach. On reaching we jumped into the blue lagoon, but we could not see as much of ocean life as we had hoped for. The marine life transported their way to other areas because of algae bloom season. We did catch hold of some Stingrays and turtles though!!
Next we headed for our last island trip to…
FELICITE ISLAND :
In next couple of minutes, we reached Felicite, which is the fifth largest island in Seychelles measuring 3-4kms. Our guide even suggested that we might have a good snorkeling experience there which was true. We completely had the best of our time deep inside the water. Ah! It was amazing we were surround by fish till the time we were in water, will never forget that moment. One of our best snorkeling so far!!
By 4.30 we were again dropped back to the harbor of La Digue where we sat for couple of mins for the sunset. As it was going to be our last night in this paradise island, we were little emotional but were also excited about our upcoming days in Mahe.
Day 8 – 10: Arrive and explore Mahe
Mahé is the largest island of Seychelles, lying in the northeast of the Seychelles. Victoria is its capital which holds the majority of population. Mahe is extremely beautiful with its pristine white-sand beaches, lush forests, and huge mountains peaks, this place is a true tropical paradise. You would find trees alongside the beaches for miles and there’s abundance of natural beauty in every direction your eye goes. You would mostly find empty beaches here perfect for solitary lounging.
DAY 8 : Spend the day at leisure in South East Coast & catch the sunset on the West Coast
We started our day very early that day. Our body was tired and needed some more rest, but had to rush to the harbour to catch our day cruise to Mahe. We booked our reservations via Cat Cocos, which would take around 1.5hrs to reach from La Digue after a stopover of 15mins in Praslin. We reached Mahe by 9.15am and our car which we self-droved waited for us there (MC Seychelles).
In Mahe we stayed at HILLTOP BOUTIQUE HOTEL which we booked via AirBnb. You can use the this Airbnb link to book your stay in Seychelles and we would get a small credit at no additional cost to you 🙂
Where to eat in Mahe?
There are tons of fine dining option in Mahe. However, if you wish to eat in budget then try the famous take away food joint “PAPAGALO” in Victoria near the main square, which we absolutely loved and you should surely give a try ( we ate most of the time there during our stay).
Later head out to relax at South Eastern beaches.
ANSE ROYALE :
This beach lies towards the south eastern coast of Mahe. It’s has a beautiful scenery and absolutely clear & shallow water. It’s ideal if you wish to go for swimming & snorkeling. Reaching these coastlines are very easy because they all are mainly visible from the main roads. Also there are parking areas on the sides which even made it easier. Also you might find cozy coffee corners all over this beach belt. We found it to be a perfect place for relaxation and comfort.
ANSE BALEINE OR THE SURFERS BEACH:
This beach lies towards the south eastern coast of Mahe, which is a calmer beach in comparison and has relatively small beach. This beach is less touristy and you can hardly find someone at times if it’s a weekday. Weekends are pretty crowded with the locals partying & picnicking around. The waves are low and even the water is very shallow. This is one of our favorite beach in Mahe, where we had spent more than 4 hours at minimum sun bathing in the tropical sun. There is also a very good restaurant called the ‘SURFERS BEACH RESTAURANT’ with a funky décor, which you should definitely try for any meals or refreshments with an ocean view.
BEAU VALON :
This beach lies on the north western coast of Mahe. This a very popular beach in Mahe and is perfect for diving and snorkeling have some of the best coral reefs. This area has a number of sea- facing popular cafes and restaurants. Go get your evening mug of coffee and enjoy the beautiful sunset. Later packed our last meal and finally checked in our hotel by 7pm.
DAY 9 : Hike the Copolia trail in Morne National Park and visit Grand Anse Beach for Sunset
Have breakfast early and head to Copolia nature trail in Morne National Park. There are numerous number of nature trails in Morne National Park such as
NORTH NATURE TRAILS
1. CASSE DENT TRAIL
2. LA BASTILLE
3. DANS GALLAS VIEWPOINT
4. CASCADE RIVER WATERFALL
5.MORNE BLANC
6. COPOLIA NATURE TRAIL
SOUTH NATURE TRAILS
1. BOUGAINVILLE
2.ANSE CAPUCINS & ANSE PETITE BOILEAU
3.MONTAGNE BRULEE NATURE TRAIL
Copolia Nature Trail :
We did our research and found this hike to be one of the best in terms of view from the top. The Copolia trail is approx 6-7 km outskirts of Victoria (capital of Mahe). Once you reach the entrance you need to pay 100 Scr (entry charges per person above 12 years). It’s mostly a hike of 2-3 hours, which offers a spectacular 360-degree view of the east coast of Mahe and all nearby islands.
It’s a moderate hike, which took us almost an hour to reach the top. There is even a view point somewhere in between, but we would definitely suggest to climb up till the top of it unless you reach the iron ladder. Make sure to keep handy water bottles and some energy bars which you might need if it’s extremely humid. There is no food joints or refreshment corners you would find during the entire hike. Also make sure to wear good shoes, heels are a complete no -no. I (Puja) was very exhausted by the time we reached, but there was a moment of joy and audible sigh once you witness the view from the top. It was magical. You need to sweat to know and it was completely worth it. Once we came back to base we headed towards…
Grand Anse Beach :
This beach lies on the western coast of Mahe. It’s one of the longest beach in Mahe. This bay is incredible with turquoise ocean and with beautiful lush green mountains at the backdrop. The water here is perfect for swimming and snorkeling with less coral reefs. You can relax here after the long hike in Copolia and watch the gorgeous sunset or head back early to Victoria town to do some local souvenir shopping.
Day 10: Explore Victoria, go for local sightseeing(optional) and head off to South Western Coast to relax
If you wish to make your day easy and not very tiring but still want to come out of room you can check out the Seychelles National Museum in Victoria and also Takamaka Rum Distillery and chill around any of the nearby beaches. We decided not go there and instead explored some of its amazing beaches on South Western Coast.
ANSE INTENDENCE :
We drove towards the south western coast to reach Anse Intendence beach which took around 30 mins from Victoria. From the parking you need to walk for couple of mins to reach this beautiful paradise. It is also ranked as the top beaches in Mahe for its incredible granite formations and white sandy beach. This beach bay is also a part of BANYAN TREE RESORT, so you might find lots of visitors. Also after a long time we found a beach shack which sells tropical drinks, which is a good sign of course. So we grabbed our glass and sat for a while until dusk. This was our favourite beach in Mahe and would highly recommend.
PETITE POLICE BEACH :
This beach is located at the south of Mahe. It’s not the best and most visited beach we feel. It’s mostly rocky with dead and sharp corals without any sand beach. Also this beach is not safe for any water activities.
ANSE BAZARCA :
You can reach Anse Bazarca from petite police which also lies in the southern coast of Mahe. Even getting to this beach is easy because it runs alongside the road with car parking as well. This location is also a breeding ground for turtles during its season. Also note the water is too deep here and extremely rough for swimming.
Seychelles Travel Itinerary : Optional Island Trip/Overnight stay from Mahe – Sillhouette Island
You can plan a day trip to Sillhouette Island which lies 20km north west of Mahe and is the third largest island in Seychelles with an average population of 200 only. We read & heard it has pristine beaches. Given the COVID regulations we couldn’t add this island to our stay but would suggest you to explore!!
Seychelles Hotels : Where to stay in Seychelles : Seychelles Travel Itinerary
Seychelles is an expensive location when it comes to stay. Even budget self catering properties on Airbnb starts around 100$ per night for a couple. It truly has some of the most luxurious properties which you can definitely chose as per your budget. Below are our recommendations which you can definitely check:
Praslin Accommodations
Budget: Cote D’Or Lodge Club Vacanze(We loved our stay here, right on the beach)
Midrange: Colibri Hotel
Luxury: Raffles Praslin
La Digue Accommodations
Budget: Chez Mera(We loved our stay here, amazing service)
Midrange: La Digue Island Lodge
Luxury: Le Domaine de L’Orangeraie Resort and Spa
Mahe Accommodations
Budget: Hilltop Boutique Hotel – Apartments(We stayed here)
Midrange: Coral Strand Smart Choice
Luxury: Four Seasons Resort Seychelles
So that’s how we ended our trip in wonderful Seychelles, parked our rented car at the airport and boarded our flight for another exciting and fun destination 🙂
